reconnaissance

noun

re·​con·​nais·​sance ri-ˈkä-nə-zən(t)s 

-sən(t)s

: a preliminary survey to gain information

especially : an exploratory military survey of enemy territory

Examples of reconnaissance in a Sentence

There are two helicopters available for reconnaissance.

They did a reconnaissance of the enemy's position.

Recent Examples on the Web

Before then, Sweden’s security services had mostly observed reconnaissance for potential attacks, intelligence gathering or activity linked to cybercriminals. —Emma Burrows, Fortune, 30 May 2026

The war, now in its fifth year, has seen the use of ground robots to deliver supplies to the front line, and autonomous and AI-augmented drones for precision strikes and reconnaissance. —Dylan Butts, CNBC, 30 May 2026

Unknown to the Americans, and unspotted by their air reconnaissance, Peleliu is full of deep underground cave networks, which the Japanese had fortified and stocked with food, water and ammunition. —Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 30 May 2026

That preparation could involve satellites, drones, reconnaissance aircraft, cyber monitoring, signals intelligence and human sources. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, recognition, from Middle French reconoissance, from Old French reconoistre to recognize

First Known Use

1779, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

reconnaissance

noun

re·​con·​nais·​sance ri-ˈkän-ə-zən(t)s 

: a survey (as of enemy territory) to gain information